Sweet
by AlmightySponge
Summary: A MelloxNear fluff fic. Nothing's quite as sweet.


_**Sweet**_

_**(I wrote this a little while ago, I just… uh… I dunno, got around to it? It's been up on D.A for a while, but I guess I though I'd try it here.)**_

_**This is my first attempt at a fanfic. It**__**'**__**s one shot, MelloxNear with some Matt. **_

_**(and roger XD)**_

_**What I**__**'**__**m saying about the ages can be easily figured out once the fic has been read through, but just to clear it up right away for people who are confused, in this story Mello and Matt are about nine years old and Near would be seven.**_

_**Disclaimer; I don**__**'**__**t own any of the D.N. characters.**_

_**Credits; **_

_**H-feath (deviantart: AngelWing1138) for title help and beta reading**_

_**Mary (Mar-chan-TheObitoFan) for hosting**_

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"_Okay you three, file in quickly now; we__'__re going straight to the department store and back. No stopping at any other stores.__"__ Barked Roger at the three boys, stepping into the driver__'__s side door of the car they__'__d be driving in. __'__I__'__d like to be able to get through this experience as painlessly as possible.__'_

_Roger didn__'__t usually have to go grocery shopping for the Whammy__'__s house orphanage__—__someone else would take care of that__—__but a few things were very lowly stocked right now, and it had become utterly intolerable to live in a house with very little toilet paper available._

_He turned his old eyes towards the three young boys standing on the step of the orphanage. The lanky redhead, Matt, who needed a haircut so badly he looked like a blushing sheepdog; the frowning blonde, Mello, who refused to go another day without a candy bar; and the small awkward albino, Near, standing at least a head shorter than the other two, at the end of the line, eyes pointed intently towards the ground. Near had insisted he needed to pick up some modeling glue. He wouldn__'__t let anyone talk him out of coming along, no matter how much Mello griped that he__'__d be stuck in the same car with his hated rival._

_Roger shook his head as the three made their way into the car. _

"_Okay you lot, my car doesn__'__t have the proper child-sized airbags in the front, so you__'__ll all have to sit in the back.__"___

_Mello groaned._

_Near moved forwards to the other side of the car, moving slowly and fiddling with something small in his hands. Mello slipped into the side of the car nearest to him, sliding down to let Matt in. When he came face to face with Near, getting in on the other side, he quickly turned and began fussing. __"__No! No way, I__'__m not being in the middle if it means beside Near! Switch with me, Matt!__"_

"_Okay, but you-__"__ Matt began._

"_Mello, just sit down and do up your seatbelt, we__'__ve got to get going,__"__ Growled an aggravated Roger from the front seat. __"__You can have a window seat on the way home.__"_

_Matt got in and closed the door, and after a moment of shooting Roger some very dirty looks, Mello stopped grumbling and sat down in his middle seat, squishing Matt against his door to keep from touching Near. God forbid._

_After the car was heading down the highway, five minutes into the car ride, everything had settled down rather well. Matt had pulled out his game-boy and was clicking away, Near had a small duck-shaped toy wrapped in his hands, bobbing it up and down in the air inches away from his face, and Mello was doing his very best to ignore Near by keeping his eyes peeled on the game-boy Matt was playing, watching over the redhead__'__s shoulder like a hawk._

"_What__'__s that, Matt? Is that a monster?__"__ he asked, tapping the screen on the questioned item. _

"_Yeah, it__'__s called a Moblin, Mello.__"__ Matt replied, __'__shoo__'__ing Mello__'__s hand. __"__And I__'__ve told you before, Mello, don__'__t touch the screen, you__'__ll smudge it.__"_

"_Can I play this hand?__"__ Mello asked, looking eagerly at the little game he__'__d no clue how to play._

_Clearly he was referring to something he and Matt had recently discovered they could do to make hand-held gaming a two-person activity, which was, of course, letting one person control each side of the two handed game-boy. It was slower but more fun, and they__'__d done it before so Mello was getting faster at it._

_Matt smiled at Mello, he loved it when the other boy took an interest in his hobby. __"__I guess so, but you__'__re usually the __'__a__'__ and __'__b__'__ buttons, you sure you can handle directionals?__"___

"_Duh, Matt. I__'__m not an idiot.__"__ Mello replied, moving his left hand forwards to slip it unto the other side of the little device, peering down upon the screen. _

"_Okay__…__ no go over that way__…"_

"_Pick up that item.__"_

"_Oh, yes__…__ wait! You missed a chest.__"_

"…_oh__…__ damn, sorry.__"_

"_Mello, watch your mouth!__"__ snapped Roger from the front seat._

_Through all of this Near sat, in his usual crouched position, knees pulled up to face; not the easiest way to sit when there was a seatbelt strapped around you, but it was doable and Near needed to sit that way, otherwise he__'__d feel uncomfortable. His bright eyes narrowed as he examined his round and smooth yellow duck-toy, allowing his pale fingertips to probe it__'__s every surface, feeling every part and making a mental map of the little object. Then, slowly, his gaze shifted from the toy, down his legs, to the dark brown seat of the vehicle where Mello__'__s leg was grazing his._

_He paused, hoping that the blonde wouldn__'__t notice this._

_And turned back to his toy._

"_Okay, now go get the arrow we just shot, because we don__'__t have very many and we need to re-use them.__"__ Matt instructed._

_Videogames were the only thing that Mello may ever admit Matt knew more about and when they were playing them was the only time he__'__d allow Matt to tell him what to do. _

"_Okay__…__ annoying, if you ask me. Damn arrows.__"_

"_Mello!__"__ Roger bellowed, this being perhaps the fourth time that ride he__'__d had to remind Mello of his language._

"_So-orry.__"_

'_For a nine-year old__…__ for a nine-year old to swear like that__…__ I shudder to think what he__'__s like when I__'__m not around.__'__ Roger pondered as the car smoothly pulled into a parking spot in the huge lot outside the department store._

"_Alright, now,__"__ Roger began, __"__The lot of you hold hands as we cross the roads, and don__'__t run ahead or-__"_

"_I__'__ll race you there, Matt!__"__ Mello teased, taking off the second he escaped the car, fast like a bullet, ever the athletic._

_Matt frowned, taking off after him. __"__Mello, you cheater!__"_

_Near sighed and took Roger__'__s hand, like a good kid._

"_Those two__…__ come on Near.__"__ The older man huffed as he and Near walked at a much slower pace than the two boys ahead, and eventually the group made it into the store. _

"_Alright, I__'__m going to get some newspapers for the house, and Matt__'__s going to show me where they keep the batteries, Mello, watch Near, alright?__"__ Roger asked, praying the rowdy blonde wouldn__'__t become difficult._

"_What? Watch Near? He__'__s only 2 years younger than me; he can watch his own damn self.__"__ Argued Mello, then, noticing his cuss, __"__Darn self, I mean__…"_

"_Take Near with you and get some canned vegetables, the food section is over there. Get at least a full tray, and don__'__t be difficult, Mello.__"_

"…_Fine__…__ whatever.__"__ Mello grunted, grabbing Near__'__s arm roughly, and steering the smaller boy away from the others, off the way Roger had pointed._

"_The canned foods gotta be around here somewhere__…"_

_Near looked up, __"__Mello, I-__"_

"_Shut up, Near. I know what I__'__m doing.__"__ Mello snapped, pushing Near out of his way and heading down the isle the opposite way Near had been going._

"…_but Mello, the c-__"__ Near tried again._

"_You__'__ll do what I say and I say lets go this way! I__'__m not stupid!__"_

_Near shrugged, watching as the obvious canned food section became farther and farther away as he followed after Mello as the two went the wrong way, and after about fifteen minutes of looking, they were right back where they started. Thankfully Mello __did not _miss the canned foods this time around.

"See, Near," Mello boasted. "I found them, I'm really smart."

Near kept silent. 

Mello lifted down a cardboard tray of cans and heaved them unto Near, causing the tiny boy to slip to his knees with the overpowering weight of the metal, and the sudden weight. 

"It's too heavy, Mello." Near squeaked, struggling to keep the awkward load from falling. 

"Damn, Near, you're so weak. Gimme that."

The snowy-haired boy could stand again as Mello lifted the tray off of him and took it into his own hands, making it look rather easy to carry. 

"We found your wood glue for you, Near." Roger explained, handing the short boy a brown tube, which Near quickly pocketed. "Toss that into the cart, Mello."

Mello didn't hesitate to drop the tray of food into the shopping cart.

Near's eyes widened. Perhaps the cans really were heavy for him.

"Okay, well now I have to take Matt to get his hair cut."

Both Matt and Mello groaned.

"I like my hair this way, Roger! It's more comfortable!" Matt argued.

"Yeah!" Mello began, "It's so boring to watch someone get their hair cut! Do we have to?"

Roger stared hopelessly at the boys, then rummaged through his pockets before pulling out a toonie and handing it to Mello.

Mello looked at the coin with wide eyes, amazed to be holding such a treasure. Two whole dollars. 

"Go and take Near to get ice cream at McDonald's," Roger instructed, leading Matt off by the shoulders, in the direction of the hair salon.

Matt struggled in the older man's tight grasp. "No way! Not fair! They get ice cream and I get my hair chopped off! I wanna go too."

"Stop fussing, Matt."

After the two were out of sight, Mello's eyes slowly flicked to his shorter companion, glistening with selfishness.

"You realize, Near, that Roger put the money in my hand, and not yours. Meaning you're not going to have any ice cream. I'm just going to have two ice creams and you'll watch me eat them."

Near stared at him, itching to protest but knew that speaking would only strengthen Mello's wish to horde all the money for himself. So the white-haired boy just bit his lip and let his head fall to his chest, letting it hang off of his shoulders. 

Mello didn't say anything.

Near felt Mello grab his hand, a lot more gently than he usually was when he was touching Near, and felt the smooth coolness of the toonie being pressed into his palm. 

Near stared down at the little coin with wonder and then, after a second to process the kind gesture, he stared up at Mello, lips turned up into a grateful smile. "…thank you, Mello… I-"

"Yeah, right, whatever, don't push it, you nerd. Just go and get two ice creams. And I swear if you even touch mine you'll regret being born." Mello growled as Near took off, not running by any means, but at a faster pace, towards the fast food restaurant, absolutely boiling with excitement at the chance to buy himself an ice cream. And, even more so, the chance to do something for Mello.

However, Near had never been good at rushing.

He tended to stumble a lot.

Mello cringed as he watched the white-clad boy lose his footing, tumble and end up on his stomach, splayed out on the floor, dumbstruck. He rushed over and began to help up Near, when he noticed the sounds of the coin rolling off, away from the two, beneath a vending machine, and disappearing into the shadows there. 

'No…' thought Mello, pulling up Near quickly, without bothering to ask Near if he was okay and streaking over to the vending machine, slipping his small hands into the blackness below the machine, allowing his blonde hair to graze the filthy floor as his hand's rummaged through nothing more than years of dust and grime that had been pushed below the large contraption over the years.

"Damn it… good freaking job, Near!" Mello shrieked at the shorter boy as he got to his feet, wiping his dirtied hands in his dark pants. "You lost our money! Now neither of us gets ice cream, you dork!"

Near couldn't speak, couldn't bring himself to apologize, couldn't believe what he'd done. What he'd lost. 

"Well damn it!"

Mellow slipped against the nearby wall and sat on the floor, pulling his knees up to his chest. He frowned to himself, seemingly deep in thought as each hand wandered into its respective pocket. After a moment of silence, the blonde withdrew his hands and in them were an assortment of things he'd been keeping in his pockets. A few elastics, bits of chocolate bar wrappers, a marble, and some random uncounted change. 

"Okay…" Mello grumbled, putting the rest of his random collection back into their proper pockets, and began to count the leftover money, mostly pennies and nickels he'd found on the ground on walks outside or around Whammy's House. 

"Ninety-six, ninety-seven… a dollar and two cents… a dollar and three cents. Aww… man… I can't believe it… just a dollar and three cents… that isn't enough to get two ice creams."

"Buy yourself an ice cream." Near said softly, not bringing up his gaze from the floor.

Mellow glowered at him, and then softened. 

"…No… it's okay. They don't have chocolate ice cream anymore at these stupid restaurants, anyway."

Mello dropped the change into Nears palm, which he'd taken, just like the last time, and closed Near's pale little fingers around the assortment of coins. 

"Just this time don't run so you won't lose it." Mello warned as he gave Near a gentle push in the direction of the McDonald's.

Near couldn't believe his incredible luck. Mello wasn't mad at him anymore, he even let Near go to get an ice cream… so amazingly selfless for someone who was usually so horrible to him. He couldn't help but smile with his back turned to the other boy as he took off, at a much slower pace, towards the counter of the store, careful not to drop a single penny. 

When Near returned, the cone had already been licked, but there still a lot of vanilla ice cream towering over the cone and Near became bold enough to offer up a taste to Mello, looking at the other boy with wide eyes, smiling shyly. 

"Have some, Mello."

The blonde shifted uneasily. 

Then, after a second of awkward silence, Mello leant forwards to bury his tongue in the sugary mess of frozen dessert, admitting halfway through his lick that it was delicious. He pulled away, after a moment, and wiped his mouth sloppily on the sleeve of his dark shirt. 

He grinned at the younger boy.

"It's good, Near. Not as good as chocolate… which Roger had better have gotten me some of… Speaking of Roger, I think that's him and Matt coming." Mello said, taking Near's free hand and leading the white-haired boy out from the restaurant and into the aisle so that the two could meet up with the second half of their party.

"So only Near got an ice cream? How incredibly selfless of you, Mello." Roger praised, his eyes watching the three boys in the rear-view mirror of the car in the ride back home again. 

"…Eh… Hardly. I just felt sorry for the little twerp." Mello huffed, munching a fresh chocolate bar, happy as could be to have his favourite desert once again.

But not as happy as Near, still enjoying the ice cream cone he and Mello had shared, taking his time savoring the sweet. 

"How did you lose my toonie again, Mello?" Roger asked.

"Oh," the blonde boy replied, gulping down a mouthful of chocolate bar. "I accidentally dropped it on the ground and it rolled under some stupid vending machine. I couldn't get it out… they should really make those thing's movable. Who knows how much money could be under that thing…"

As Mello fantasized about a trove of riches hidden in the department store, and Matt ignored the world outside of his game, Near sat there, dumfounded as he took his first bite into the crunchy cone. 

Mello had taken the blame for him. Mello, the guy he thought hated him had actually taken the fall for losing the money. 

Near smiled faintly, nibbling on the cookie cone. 

'He doesn't _hate_ me…'

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**And that****'****s it! I hope you liked it****…**** I had fun with this, no doubt. It was a cool experience writing a fanfic, kinda like I might do it again. **

**Thanks for reading!! **


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